Depending on the position of the attacker and how close they are will determine where you will strike and with what part of your body you will employ. Do not step in closer, say, to strike their nose with your hand, when you can reach their knee with a kick. Try and keep as much space between you and your attacker as possible – making for an easier getaway.

When striking a target on the upper half of the body you will use your hand. Effective strikes can be made with the outer edge of your hand in a knife hand position, a palm strike, a tightly curled fist or a knuckle blow for softer targets. Knowing which part of the body to attack and when is your first step to escape an attacker.

Eyes: Gouging, poking, or scratching the attacker’s eyes with your fingers or knuckles is very effective, as you can imagine. Besides causing a lot of pain, this should also make your escape easier by at least temporarily interfering with their vision.

Nose: If the attacker is close in front of you, use the heel of your palm to strike up under their nose; throw the whole weight of your body into the move to cause the most pain and force them to loosen their grip on you. If they’re behind you, you can strike his nose (from the side or front) with your elbow. Either way, aim for the nasal bones.

Neck: The side of the neck is a bigger target, where both the carotid artery and jugular vein are located. You could possibly temporarily stun your attacker with a knife hand strike (all fingers held straight and tightly together, with thumb tucked and slightly bent at the knuckle) at the side of the neck. For even more injury, you could thrust your elbow into your assailant’s throat while pitching the weight of your body forward.

Knee: The knee is an ideal self-defence target, vulnerable from every angle and easily kicked without risk of your foot being grabbed. Kick the side of the knee to cause injury or partially incapacitate your attacker. Kicking the front of the knee may cause more injury but is less likely to result in imbalance. Use your entire body’s strength for this kick to really injure your attacker.

The eyes, nose, neck and knees are the parts of the body that are most sensitive when hit. Now here are the parts of the body used most effectively for inflicting damage: your elbows, knees, and head (they’re your body’s bony built-in weapons). Using these body parts when defending yourself will leave you with the least damage to your body.

An even safer bet is to use any object that you can get your hands on. Everyday objects you carry around with you or things in your environment can be used to your advantage as weapons. Hold a key or pen between your middle and ring finger while you’re walking home in the dark for more assurance. Outdoors, you can toss a handful of dirt or sand into your attacker’s eyes. Women are often told to spray perfume or hairspray into an assailant’s eyes. The point is, use whatever you can to make your defence stronger (for more inspiration, watch some Bruce Lee movies).

Leverage your weight. No matter your size, weight, or strength in relation to your opponent, you can defend yourself by strategically using your body and the simple law of physics. This is the principle behind martial arts systems like Jujitsu and other self-defence programs where a smaller person is able to defeat a larger one.

The first step in self-defence is prevention, but if this is not possible these techniques and tips will help you confront and escape the attacker.

Stay Safe!

Ouss,

Team Xen-Do

This article is based on opinion:
– the author is not a qualified doctor or anyone who can dispense medical advice.
– any opinions stated are just that and people should consult a doctor before making any dietary changes or changes of any nature prompted by the articles published by or on behalf of Xen-Do.
– under 16’s please obtain parental permission before posting anything online.
– any opinions stated are that of the author and do not represent the opinions of Xen-Do.